Alan Pardew has explained the absence of Newcastle United's on-loan striker Facundo Ferrerya from the Magpies lineup.

The Argentine forward, signed on a season-long loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, has yet to turn out for the Tyneside outfit this year, despite them only finding the back of the net twice in six outings.

"Ferreyra has been a bit unfortunate since he arrived, and has had a couple of knocks that have knocked him back," the Shields Gazette quotes Pardew as saying.

"He had a reserve game recently with [Ayoze] Perez, and they both did well. Perez is probably just in front of him at the moment. He needs a bit more football and a few more games, but he's another footballer who needs to adapt to the Premier league.

"It's a tough league. When you don't start well, it's more difficult for these guys to adjust. The only message I've seen on the training ground that they are trying their damned hardest to show that with a result."

Newcastle travel to Swansea City this afternoon in search of their first win of the season.